Finally Pictures from the MTC. it only took a month.

Leave it to Elder Vogel to send pictures with no names or explanations. ha ha ha.

At least he sent pictures. and they are great! He was his district leader in the MTC so these may have been some of his district. 

Meeting his companions and Pres. and Sis. Stoker

Finally got these. this is President and Sister Stoker with Matt

and the bottom picture is him with his training companions Elders Pace and Millet

He loves them!

Thanksgiving

Hey guys!!! This week flew by fast!! Holy smokes!! I'm almost halfway
through my first transfer! In 2 weeks I would have been out here in
Maine for a month!! Times flying by fast!! Can't wait for Christmas!!

Here's what happened!!

Monday - we had P Day and that went well, then we had an amazing
dinner at the Bernatches haha they are an awesome couple! Love them!

Then a lesson with josh was amazing! Truly felt the spirit! We had
exchanges and we traded Elder Millet for Elder Schwarts. He came out
with me but I don't really know him.

Tuesday - we went tracting and we found a nice lady named Mia that
wants to learn more. We also taught Daniel and we were able to find
out more concerns and questions he has. We had exchanges and
 Elder Schwartz and I have very different personalities. Oh well,
it's only for a day and it gives me a chance to develop Christ like love
hahaha but other than that it was an okay day.
Nothing to exciting but nothing to boring. It's really
cold, 28 was the highest and it got down to about 17 degrees before we
went home. Cold day

Wednesday - District meeting was great and I'm so excited to start
talking about the new Christmas video!! Everyone should go watch and
share it!! It's called a savior is born and It's awesome!! We have
been listening to Christmas music and getting in the spirit!! I'm so
excited!! We taught Heather and Craig today, not much progress there
but it's better than nothing. We had dinner at the Meiers home
 and they shared their conversion story!!
It was crazy! Sister Meiers read the Book of Mormon in 2 days!! That's
crazy and she studied each religion down to the bone before she found
a testimony in the LDS church. It's pretty touching the way she
explained her story.

That's the highlight of my day, now to prep for thanksgiving!

Thursday - (THANKSGIVING!!!) I'm so fat.. I gained so much weight. We
had 4 appointments for eating... I've never eaten so much in my life..
On the bright side, a family in our ward is filthy rich and I got to
take a picture of his Jaguar F-Type R.. Which is crazy fast, 570hp and
really cool looking! We walked, snow melted :( I got some e mails from
some cool people and talked to some awesome people also! I never get
tired of the Bernatches haha I love them! Awesome and spiritual lesson
with Chris. That's one for the books, awesome awesome. We ran into a
dude who was super super drunk haha but he threatened to kill me... I
was a little concerned and I watched my step but Elder Millet talked
about Star Craft to him and it changed his attitude completely haha I'm
kinda sketched preaching after 5 cuz that's when the weirdos are out,
it gets pitch black at 5 and were in dark clothing on dark bikes haha
I have faith the lord will protect me!! I'm having fun tho!!


Friday - we are in a turkey hang over. We had so much food to eat that
I now feel sick. But today was an awesome day, we rode the bikes again
and we met an amazing dude names James who has quite the story and
testimony of the church. He's born an raised in the church but at
birth his kidney, a king and his liver never worked and he had a hole
in his heart which was vital for survival. Died 6 times and when he
was told he wasn't going to live, Christ said "you're staying. You
have work to do" and he's now 39 years old. Awesome awesome dude. His
story brought the spirit and testified to me that he knew it was true.
I've had a great week with my trainers and I'm starting to have an
interest in Bangor. later that night we found out
from James that there was a gun fight on Union Street (5 min bike ride from home)
 4 drug busts and a stabbing down the street from our house.
There were DA officers, k9s and a bunch of craziness. 4 people dead in
the last 2 days.  haha But were safe, the lord blessed us and we made it home safely
haha and it's only Friday. Oh boy haha weather today was above 50 and all the
snow has melted for now. But we're having rumors of a blizzard this
next week. Pray for me!!


Saturday - today was a cold day! We had lots of fun tho! We taught
Chris again and Chris and I connected really hard. He's fearful of
being baptized because he has no idea what lies after and he wants to
know everything there is. We bonded pretty close and I was able to ask
some deep questions to him in order to see where he is at with
everything. It went so well. We're feeling better from Thursday haha
but still kinda feel it. We met a girl names Kaylee who told us that
she got in trouble and wants some help, she's about 20 and we are
going to teach her the stop smoking program and she seems way
interested. We also, right after Kaylee left, met a guy names Esa who
is a retired army ranger. He told us that 2 days ago he buried his son
and 2 weeks ago he buried his wife. He told us earlier today he was
going to jump off of a bridge because this all came at once and it's
all to much. He started crying and we asked him if he believed in God
and he said he does. He told us he didn't jump because he was
overwhelmed not too and on his way home, he met us and he just balled
his eyes out. We told him that Christ knows what he's feeling and that
he always has a hand in everything. He asked how and we said that the
feeling at has told him not to jump was a sign that he needed to see
us. After that he cried some more. Poor poor guy and he's got
foreclosure coming. New England has so much homeless people, so much
drugs and so much liquor it's unbearable. The smell is horrible and
it's kinda funny, some people that are into that drug life, don't care
about if their house is gone and they're on the streets, but when
you're walking down the street and you meet a man named Caleb and he
wants to learn more about the church and he starts crying because he
has no home, you can see that hurt, the hard work, the pain and
confusion of him being homeless. Alot of people here are on social
security and disability, but it hurts deep down when someone is
sincere and really is sad about being homeless and has no way of
getting work or anything and you can just see that in their eyes. Is
so very sad. It makes me feel so grateful for my house, my home and my
family. That's New England, also, I'm in the only "city" in the
mission. Everywhere else is dense forest and lots of farmland. We call
them "boonies" hahaha Pretty stoked!!

Sunday - exciting day!! I love the members!!! We got to church and we
rocked Christmas ties haha there was a kid giving a talk and he locked
his knees and passed out at the pulpit. That was a shocking 15 min.
Crazy, but the elders and I had a great Sabbath, as always we love the
Bernatches haha I love that couple. He reminds me so much of Bud Nehls
haha. We had dinner at a less actives house and we talked about our
missions and how he's been to Seattle and had a lot of fun and we
shared the Story of Enos and his prayer. Great time talking to him.
Thanks family for the boxes of goodies!!!! We got them this morning
and we opened it up and started eating! Lol we've been starving this
week!! Thanks so much!! We taught Josh today and we
taught prayer again and how that can be better and the spirit was so
so strong in there. Holy smokes, when he gets permission, he will be
going to church and then a baptism shortly after. We also taught a
street contact names Audrey. Sweet little lady who already has a
pretty good knowledge of the church and she committed to baptism!!
She's a little hesitant because she thinks she won't be quite ready
for that yet, but we shared our testimonies about how she will be
ready when she receives that answer if she actively searches. Awesome
day

Happy holidays everyone! Elder Millet, Elder Pace and I are gonna take
a Christmas picture soon haha I'll e mail it out to you all this next
few weeks probably! Hope to hear all about what's going on at home!
I am leaving to Manchester New Hampshire which is a 4 hour car drive
from my area (Bangor Maine) because a downer of being with zone
leaders, they have meetings all over the mission... So Tuesday I will
be in a "new missionary and trainers" meeting all day and then we are
exchanging with the assistants. My companions are going with the
assistant to the president missionaries and I will be somewhere in New
Hampshire until Thursday. Then next week, were there again for some
reason. So I'll be sure to take pics and write a lot!! Let me know
what's been going on! Hope to hear from you soon!!

Elder Vogel

Hey guys!!! It's been a crazy crazy week and a half!!

First off, I apologize for not writing on Monday. I could only write my family because I flew to Detroit and then to Manchester so I had a busy day. I hate flying... Gets me nauseous. Haha

The last few days at the MTC where fun but also sad because we all had to say goodbye to all the teachers, friends and people we called family. We went to the Provo temple for a walk like 3 times and we got to go inside a few times also. It was hard saying goodbye to everyone but it was also bitter sweet haha we'll see each other again soon. Woke up at 2:45am and was at the airport, packed and ready by 5:30 and our plane didn't leave until 7:30...

The Detroit airport was way to fancy. It had a dude playing piano, a magnetic tram thing that took you down the air port and we watched a dude load our bags. He dropped all of them. Took him twice as long to load haha it was interesting. Then we left for Manchester an hour after we got to Detroit.

We stayed in the mission home where sister Stoker (Mission Mom) made us an amazing dinner, we received iPad minis and a great, warm welcome! (iPad mini accessories welcome cuz I only have 150$ a month for all my needs.. Lol)

The next morning she made us an amazing home made meal! Waffles with home made syrup, butter, eggs and toast! She spoiled us haha and then we went to the Manchester church building where transfers happened.

I am in Bangor Maine, one of the biggest, and 1/3 missions where elders use bikes.... Everywhere else has cars. ... It's crazy... My legs hurt... I'm in a trio!! Which doesn't happen a lot on missions!! My companions are Elder Pace and Elder Millet. They are the zone leaders so I should be careful haha but these dudes are crazy cool! Already taught me so much! My district is nothing but district leaders, zone leaders and sister training leaders... So pretty much I'm one of 3 missionaries that don't have a leadership position hahaha but they all are awesome! Love my district!!

I've already been tracting, street contacting and learning to preach! Elder Millet was in the hospital Thursday because his Asthma has gotten pretty bad. We were concerned for his well being because he went a full day without any meds. We got to the hospital at 9:30 pm and didn't leave until 2:30 am.. haha but other than that, these dudes are awesome! Our mission car that we can borrow from the sisters is a 2015 Toyota Sienna.. We are looking for a sticker that says soccer mom hahah

Long hard days. The New England states are so weird. It's poor, kinda like downtown Tacoma. Everything is old and lots of granite everywhere. Everyone here smokes pretty bad, plays a lot of video games, has different religious beliefs like catholic, baptist and a couple odd ones, a dude said "I'm a follower of Adolf Hitler. Jews and Mormons are swine and evil on this earth" hahah and another lady said that she was a "Greek Orthodox"... I have no idea what that is haha but I've met a lot of Jewish people. Seems to be a common theme out in Maine. The weather is odd. It's pretty cold, like in the 40s but at night it goes down to about 20. We have had a wind storm (makes tornadoes with the leaves all in the ground from fall) and we have had a crazy rain storm also. Dumping like crazy, worse than Washington, like it's coming down in waterfalls and buckets haha but we still work hard! Sunday was interesting. There was a lady breast feeding the whole sacrament lol babies crying and there's a small amount of people in the ward. Very very small wards, but they are awesome, all loving and together and always looking out for everyone.

I've taught a handful of people here, a dude named Daniel is from the Congo and he's investigating, but he claims he's a "prophet" of his own beliefs and has a missionary organization already.. Hitting hard haha but we are trying to help him understand why the apostles are there and why the church is set up the way it is. He's kinda odd.. Another dude josh, has had a rough rough life and he's getting close to baptism!! Crazy stuff!! We also have a solid investigator named Chris, who I think just needs friends so YSA may be something for him, but he's shy and he plays video games 24/7.. He's working on figuring out why he should be baptized and trying to get an answer on his own, so he's close! Our lesson Saturday with him was awesome! We taught about prayer and shared different ways to pray to seek the sincerity and to keep trying, I really felt he came closer to Christ and I'm so excited for him when he decides to get baptized!! I'm really just getting to know people a little and saying my testimony here and there. I'm going to be teaching lessons and all that fun stuff very soon.
Sunday when Elder Pace and I where helping bishop out, we stumbled on a less active lady named Tanya. She has been a member for a year. On Friday, CPS came and removed all 6 of her kids from her custody and now 3 of them are in adopted homes, 2 are in foster care and the infant has a drug addiction it was born with. She's been raped, beaten, abused and just a sad sad story to hear, I almost started crying because I felt so bad that someone could endure all of that and still wake up and know there's a God. Saturday she popped all her pills and tried killing herself, Sunday she came home and started drinking again. Poor poor lady. She says she has been avoiding us, but we explained in the pouring down rain how we are an answer to her prayers. Our job as missionaries and ward council members job is to help her cuz she can have the infant back if she shows she's capable of taking care of him. As of right now I don't know how to start with her other than sharing our love for her and that God will help her but only if she tries to stop. It's so difficult but she needs to start now and we hope and pray she will. I want to help her so so bad, it's so sad and I have faith that I can help her and help her see the Holy Ghost and to know why she's still here and experienced this. This is what a mission is about, I'm so excited!!! This is so cool!! I never thought I could ever get the opportunity to help people that believe there's no hope, but here I am and I'm ready to help the best I can!! On Splits later that afternoon while Elder Pace was gone teaching, Elder Millet and I gave a wonderful blessing to someone that is in the hospital on death row. She has a disease where she loses feeling, muscles and nerves. It's hard to move and she said she's been in the hospital since Halloween. She also shared that as a kid she spend 8 months in a hospital from child abuse. I felt this lady's pain and suffering and agony as she pleaded for life from us. The blessing was amazing and I hope she recovers.

A crazy crazy week and many more to come! We also got 3 inches of snow last night haha

Send me and my comps stuff!!! Thanks!!

2 Bedford Farms Ste 208
Bedford NH  03110-6525
United States - That's the mission home

58 Perkins street apt 2 Bangor Maine 04401  - This is my apartment address

Put my name as Elder Matthew Vogel and use the Postal service. No fed ex or UPS for anyone that wants to send something cool!! Always appreciated!! Me and my companions love food, snacks and nick nack stuff haha

For people in the federal way Washington mission area, there's is an Elder Lesh that should have been transferred there a week or so ago. Take care of him, I was in this brothers district in the MTC and I said that I knew people that would make him feel welcome haha welcome to Washington Elder Lesh! My momma will cook and make you fat for Christmas haha


I'm loving the mission and hope to hear from you all soon! From me it's Elder Millet and Elder Pace and 2 other elders that went home!


Elder Vogel

 The new set of Missionaries for the Manchester New Hampshire Mission

Landed in Brewer Maine First area.

Matthew with Elder Nick Palmer- Murry Utah. they were in the same district in the MTC and shared a room last night at the mission home.













Here are some Pictures from transfer meeting where he met his new companions. It the right hand picture you can see his head above the women on the left.

He is with two others Elder Pace and Elder Millet and is serving in the Brewer Maine Ward in Brewer Maine.

This is across the river from Bangor Maine and three hours north of Manchester New Hampshire. 

Matt arrived safely in Manchester New Hampshire this afternoon. He is very happy to be in the field but very busy so he told us he would send a longer email next week. I asked him about a missionary whom I met the mother of on our mission facebook page. Now I have a mom to talk too. Her missionary, Nick Palmer, and Matt both entered the MTC together and went to the same mission.

Yes I know him!! We where in the same district at the MTC and we both
arrived here in Manchester safe and sound!! I got my iPad and we are
chilling together for the night and tomorrow. I love you guys! I will
send a longer e mail on Monday haha I don't have much time right now
because there is a huge amount of training for these. I love you
guys!! Be safe!!

We got this Picture from Matt last week while he was still at the MTC. Lynn Wardle and His wife entered the MTC on the 9th. Matt and Him were close when Matt was in high school. Great picture of two great missionaries.

Army Of Aurich

This week has been CRAZY!! I already have learned and grown so much!! The MTC really is like a fire hose haha but regardless, my testimony has grown so much in just a week! I can't send pictures yet because I don't have my camera and I have a lesson soon haha but on to why I named this the Army of Aurich

First off, out whole zone has pretty much left, so its us 4 new guys until this afternoon.. its a little scary cuz i don't feel like I've been here long enough to know a lot haha but I'm a district leader already so that means the lord wants me working hard!

Elder Lohrey and Ii have been teaching an investigator (Real person investigating in the MTC) and she was having a problem with recognizing the spirit and having that sincere faith described in James 2: 14, 17 and 26. Her name is Erika. she had a very hard time with opening her heart and not let her mindset cloud what she needed to do. I shared my thoughts about the passing of Bro Jared Aurich (Young mens leader) I shared how tragic it was, but how much he sacrificed in faith knowing that his boys (us) needed to serve missions. I shared that all 20-25 of his boys, at his funeral, sang for him and even tho someone very dear to our hearts isn"t here anymore, he had a message and a duty and he served his purpose and all of us boys knew with faith that he was in the right spot where he needed to be. With that I also compared it to the spirit, how Christ gave his life for all living people in the world so we have the chance to see him again. I shared that his message was heard all around and that people still killed him. We got her to pray and she asked to know if there is a God, she asked for feelings so she can feel what Elder Lohrey and I where clearly feeling with tears in our eyes and the spirit so strong. she prayed for the Aurich family, shes exercising faith and coming closer to Christ. Her prayer was amazing, she clearly felt the spirit. The name Army of Aurich I thought of last night because everyone that knew him knows how great of a leader he is and what he wanted most from us, to serve a mission. My orange and blue tie that reps Bosie state, I wrote in Army of Aurich. Im the oldest of his boys and I want to extend that invitation to all of his boys to write in a orange and blue tie "Army of Aurich". take it on your missions and let the world know that Bro Aurich was dear in our hearts and his spirit will protect and guide us like he did with me. 

I love and miss all of you! Thank you Bobby Tucker and the Clauson family for sending me stuff!! that made my day when I saw that from you guys!! 

Elder Vogel 

 So Matt's mission has a facebook page; LDS Manchester New Hampshire mission. Anyway I posted there today about matt heading there next week and asked them to take care of my boy and these are the responses I got. I gotta say it makes a mama's heart glad to hear all this.

 

 

Kelly Halling I can promise you your son will be very well taken care of. The members in this mission are heaven sent Angels that watch over our babies. I can say that while my daughter has been serving I have created life long friends!

Mary Swenson This is a great mission! We love our missionaries and take good care of them. Send warm clothes!!

Debbie Banda He is going to love this mission. My daughter is coming home on the day your son enters. The members are so great. It has been a blessed experience for all of us. I hope my son gets sent there next year.

David Tyler [Shelli Tyler here]: Debbie Banda --I was totally thinking the same thing about my son....haha! I cannot imagine another mission that could be so embracing of their missionaries.

Naomi Campbell If he comes here he will be looked after we are moms by proxy.. no worries..

Tim O'Meara We'll take good care of him smile emoticon

Shantelle Sutkus He will love New England, and the New England members will take great care of him

 

Judy Anderson Vogel Wow, thank you to all you mom's. I know you will love him as I love the missionaries that serve here. Thank you so much!

We were able to receive an email from his his first night. It made us feel more peaceful that he was happy and settled.

Day 1 here is pretty easy, but not to easy haha i love it here. my comp is a beast! he's funny and he's a recent convert! I've got a long ways to go before i am done haha anyways, I'm crunched on time and there's nothing to crazy that has happened in several hours haha take care! love you all!

Elder Vogel

taking him to the MTC

We are starting this blog to follow Matthew's journey on his mission to Manchester New Hampshire.
It has been quite the journey to reach this point and we are grateful for his willingness to serve his Heavenly Father and sacrifice two years of his life to preaching the Gospel to the people of the Manchester New Hampshire mission.

He was set apart as a missionary on October 31st at the home of Pres. Wells. our stake president
       Matthew's mission covers the area of New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and parts of Massachusetts and New York. He will serve from November 2015 to November 2017. He is English speaking. There is also a Manchester New Hampshire mission facebook page that you may find some tidbits about him there. He mission President is Pres. and Sis. Stoker.
     We were able to drive Matt to the MTC (missionary training center) on Nov.1st and spend a few days with family and friends before entering the MTC. We were also able to go to temple square and do an endowment session in the Salt Lake Temple. this was a great experience that we were grateful to share with Matt.

     On Wednesday we were able to have lunch with our Nephew and Matt's cousin Spencer Hollandworth. Spencer was then able to go to the MTC with us and take pictures for us.

 It was a great experience and not as hurried as we had been told. the missionary that was there to greet us took pictures of us, we hugged and said goodbye and he was off.

     Matthew was so excited to go. He has a huge smile on his face and was ready to get busy. the hard part for us was leaving the state. Driving away and leaving our son. We know where he is suppose to be and doing the Lords work.